Instead of driving just 350 yards along Quarry Hill Road, drivers are being told to divert through Stanton Gate, past Bramcote Crematorium and through Trowell. This is a nine-mile diversion, which roadworks.org says will add an extra 24 minutes to a journey.

The suggested diversion for drivers going from Ilkeston to Sandiacre (Image: roadworks.org)

Councillor John Frudd, who represents Ilkeston South on Derbyshire County Council, said the suggested diversion was “utter rubbish” and that the authority should have talked to local people before suggesting the route.

The Labour councillor said: “They’re using a sledgehammer to crack a nut it seems. I have no idea where they got that route from as it shouldn’t take that long.

“It really makes me quite angry that they have decided to put such a convoluted route for people when you don’t need to go that way.

“I sympathise with drivers because it is going to cause a lot of problems."

The road is being closed to enable construction of a new road for a development of almost 350 homes in Quarry Hill Road.

Erewash Borough Council said in a statement via its website: “Access will be maintained, whenever reasonably possible, on the affected length of road. The road will re-open as soon as the work is finished.”